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Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Corn Soup a la Patricia Wells

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Please,Please,Please.... If you haven't had this soup, try it now while fresh corn is still available. I can't say enough good things about this very simple starter. Freshly shucked corn is scraped from the cob and simmered, along with the cobs, in a low fat milk. The flavor of the corn infuses the milk which thickens slightly as it cooks. The mixture is then pureed to almost perfect smoothness before being seasoned with salt and pepper. The soup is finished with a garnish of fresh cilantro and a sprinkling of smoked Spanish paprika. It's the creation of Patricia Wells and it is another example her simply elegant handling of ingredients. I've made no changes to her recipe. I do, however, capture and use all the "milk" from the scraped cobs and let the soup steep for an hour more than the recipe suggests. I rarely get excited about recipes, but this one made my socks go up and down. I've frozen a more than adequate quantity for our Thanksgiving dinner. It is easy, inexpensive and would make a perfect first course for a holiday meal. The sprinkling of smoked paprika takes the soup to another level, so be sure to use it. It adds flair and a unique flavor component to the soup. I know you'll love this. Here's how it's made.

Addendum: This recipe works only with fresh sweet corn. The cob and "milk" both add additional flavor that gives the soup its intensive corn taste.

Corn Soup a la Patricia Wells...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of Patricia WellsIngredients:3 ears fresh corn, shucked6 cups 1% milk2 teaspoons fine sea salt1/4 fresh cilantro leaves (for garnish)about 1 teaspoon hot smoked spanish pimentón de la VeraDirections:1) With a sharp knife scrape kernels off corn cobs. Be sure to catch any milky liquid that is released while you do this.2) Place kernels, cobs and milky liquid in a saucepan or skillet large enough to hold them in a single layer. Add milk and salt. Cover and bring to a simmer over low heat. Cook at a bare simmer for 45 minutes. I let mine simmer for an hour and then sit for an hour before proceeding.3) Remove corn cobs, and put milk and corn mixture in a blender and puree until corn is broken up but still maintains a bit of texture. Adjust seasoning, adding salt and pepper to taste.4) Just before serving, garnish with pimentón and cilantro. Serve warm or cold. Yield: 6 servings.

You have me dying to make this Mary! I was sold from the second I clicked on your blog and saw that delicious photo - but then after reading, forget it, it's a done deal! I'll let you know how it goes!

I am pleased we found eachother's blogs. This recipe makes me want to go out and buy some fresh corn now (which I've never done). Yes, this looks gorgeous. I do wonder though if I could use sage instead of cilantro as I am the only one who does not like the flavour here. Thank you for sharing this.

Thanks for passing from my blog Mary and it's a pleasure meeting you. The soup sounds amazing and I will surely try it although it is still hot here in Greece and don't know how long there will be fresh corn.

Our local grocery got some excellent deal on corn the other day : 15 c a piece, you cannot go wrong! still have a few corn ears left - will give it a try- it is inspiring that the recipe is very simple, no riot of ingredients in it. One question...can I keep it in the pressure cooker at low for about the third of the time required by conventional cooking? I love cutting the cooking time, but I do not want to compromise on the quality...sometimes it is the simmering that does the trick:)

Mary, who had me when you said your socks went up and down. I know that means you have a real winner there. Can't wait to try it. Fortunately for us, we can get fresh sweet corn throughout the winter in Florida.

I am having a love affair with corn. We still have plenty in our neighborhood corn field, but I like the idea of making this for Thanksgiving. Great idea! PS: Envisioning your socks going up and down gave me a chuckle.

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